Larson, Am J Sports Med 2012 - Arthroscopic Debridement versus Refixation of the Acetabular Labrum Associated with Femoroacetabular Impingement: Mean 3.5-Year Follow-Up

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Arthroscopic Debridement versus Refixation of the Acetabular Labrum Associated with Femoroacetabular Impingement: Mean 3.5-Year Follow-Up

Larson, Stone, et al.·Am J Sports Med·2012·429 citations·Retrospective cohort

Background

The acetabular labrum provides a sealing function and a degree of hip joint stability. Limited, short-term follow-up studies suggest that labral refixation/preservation leads to superior outcomes compared with labral debridement/excision.

Purpose

To compare the results of labral refixation versus focal labral excision/debridement in a cohort of patients who underwent arthroscopic correction of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Methods

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

We reported on patients who underwent labral debridement/focal labral excision during a period before the development of labral repair techniques.
Patients with labral tears thought to be repairable with our current arthroscopic technique were compared with a cohort of patients who underwent labral refixation.
To better match the 2 groups, only patients with labral pincer- or combined-type FAI were included.
In the first 44 hips, the labrum was focally excised/debrided (group 1); in the next 50 hips, the labrum was refixed (group 2).
Outcomes were measured with the modified Harris Hip Score (HHS), Short Form 12 (SF-12), and a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain preoperatively and postoperatively.
Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were obtained to evaluate bony resection.

Results

The mean age was 32 years in group 1 and 28 years in group 2 with a mean follow-up of 42 months (range, 24-72 months).
Preoperative mean subjective outcome scores were not significantly different between groups.
At a mean 3.5 years' follow-up, subjective outcomes were significantly improved (P < .01) for both groups compared with preoperative scores.
The HHS (P = .001), SF-12 (P = .041), and VAS pain scores (P = .004) were all significantly better for the refixation group compared with the debridement group at the most recent follow-up.
At a mean 3.5 years' follow-up, good to excellent results were noted in 68% of the focal excision/debridement group and 92% of the refixation group (P = .004).

Conclusions

Although other factors may have influenced these results, labral refixation compared with an earlier cohort of focal labral excision/debridement resulted in better HHS, SF-12, and VAS pain outcomes and a greater percentage of good to excellent results at a mean 3.5-year follow-up.

Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.

Arthroscopic Debridement versus Refixation of the Acetabular Labrum Associated with Femoroacetabular Impingement: Mean 3.5-Year Follow-Up.

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Arthroscopic Debridement versus Refixation of the Acetabular Labrum Associated with Femoroacetabular Impingement: Mean 3.5-Year Follow-Up

Larson, Stone, et al.·Am J Sports Med·2012·429 citations·Retrospective cohort

Background

The acetabular labrum provides a sealing function and a degree of hip joint stability. Limited, short-term follow-up studies suggest that labral refixation/preservation leads to superior outcomes compared with labral debridement/excision.

Purpose

To compare the results of labral refixation versus focal labral excision/debridement in a cohort of patients who underwent arthroscopic correction of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Methods

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

We reported on patients who underwent labral debridement/focal labral excision during a period before the development of labral repair techniques.
Patients with labral tears thought to be repairable with our current arthroscopic technique were compared with a cohort of patients who underwent labral refixation.
To better match the 2 groups, only patients with labral pincer- or combined-type FAI were included.
In the first 44 hips, the labrum was focally excised/debrided (group 1); in the next 50 hips, the labrum was refixed (group 2).
Outcomes were measured with the modified Harris Hip Score (HHS), Short Form 12 (SF-12), and a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain preoperatively and postoperatively.
Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were obtained to evaluate bony resection.

Results

The mean age was 32 years in group 1 and 28 years in group 2 with a mean follow-up of 42 months (range, 24-72 months).
Preoperative mean subjective outcome scores were not significantly different between groups.
At a mean 3.5 years' follow-up, subjective outcomes were significantly improved (P < .01) for both groups compared with preoperative scores.
The HHS (P = .001), SF-12 (P = .041), and VAS pain scores (P = .004) were all significantly better for the refixation group compared with the debridement group at the most recent follow-up.
At a mean 3.5 years' follow-up, good to excellent results were noted in 68% of the focal excision/debridement group and 92% of the refixation group (P = .004).

Conclusions

Although other factors may have influenced these results, labral refixation compared with an earlier cohort of focal labral excision/debridement resulted in better HHS, SF-12, and VAS pain outcomes and a greater percentage of good to excellent results at a mean 3.5-year follow-up.

Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.

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